Effect of hepatitis C genotype on mother-to-infant transmission
of virus

We evaluated vertical transmission
of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 37 pregnant women, 20 of whom also
had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody. The HCV subtypes
1a and 3a were prevalent among pregnant women with HIV infection.
Infection with HCV was transmitted from 30.7% of the 13 mothers
with HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) and HIV antibody and from 25% of
the 8 with HCV RNA alone. No mother with HCV antibody but no HCV
RNA transmitted HCV to her infant. Subtypes 1b and 3a seemed to be
the most common HCV genotypes transmitted.